[Match Thread] 2nd ODI: Afghanistan v Zimbabwe

[jaybro]

Watched the entire game and although I'm at work on 1 hours sleep totally worth it

Could it have been any better ?

BT gets a ton

Raza gets a 92

Hami played really well until run-out

Chatara, Vitori & Blessing destroy their top order

Cremer mops up the tail with 4 for

Only negatives were the running between wickets

Ervine continues to struggle

The tail enders smashing Blessing and Cremer

Credit where it's due and a lot of credit must go to Streak & Klusener people here are always calling for their heads but they obviously had a plan to attack the seamers and part timers whilst protecting their wickets against Rashid & Nabi. Really smart cricket that.

Another point is how crucial the toss is I don't think I've ever seen a pitch that changes so much under lights, really unfair IMO and the first two results have shown.

Hopefully Cremer wins a few more this series

[Kriterion_BD]

Its not the pitch changing under lights. Its more about the pressure of chasing 330.

[jaybro]

Its not the pitch changing under lights. Its more about the pressure of chasing 330.

Did you watch the game ??

The ball definitely moved under lights

[zimbos_05]

Where are the Taylor doubters? He proved his metal today, and hopefully he can start doing i on a consistent basis. When out batting clicks, it just gives the rest of the team confidence.

Would really like to give Chisoro a game or two in this series, but after Blessing and Tendais performance, how do you drop either of them. That would really tempt me to give Cremer a one game break so we can see what Chisoro is capable of.

I know Mire is the gung ho kind of player, but he doesn't strike them the way Gilly used to, so should he perhaps change up his game to be a bit more measured early on, and build in to the innings.

[Zero76]

What a brilliant game, vintage BT

[Black Mamba]

Taylor's fitness, might be an issue where he has to consider either gloves or batting at the top.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Hamilton-Mire have the 4th best average for openers in ODIs for Zimbabwe when you consider at least 10 innings opened. They average 38.53, just behind Duffin-Sibanda (avg 39), Campbell-Grant Flower (avg 39.33) and the Flower brothers (42.18)

They are also 3rd best opening partnership ever for Zim in terms of averages when you consider 500+ runs added in partnership. The Duffin-Sibanda pair disappears with that criteria added.

There is no reason to change anything up at the top till the qualifiers are over. It is working better than whatever we have had for a long time.

The one missed opportunity I feel was when we did not continue with Hamilton-Raza we experimented in 2014. They added 324 in 5 games at an average of 64! Then at different stages, they lost form and never opened together again. But now that Raza has found his place in the lower middle order, this suits their complementary games quite well.

[grant]

It was great to see Muzarabani hit 135+ kph a lot more consistently this game than he used to earlier. Brian Vitori bowled genuinely quick and his pace will definitely come in handy in the qualifiers. Chatara got a bit of movement with the new ball and it was good to see him bowl around the 130 kph mark consistently. I remember he was bowling a lot slower in the BD-SL tri-series. And Cremer was sensational as usual!

BT's innings was a treat to watch, although his running between the wickets probably needs a little work. He got Hami out and then almost got Raza out too! Hopefully Ervine too comes back to form the next match.

[Kriterion_BD]

Its not the pitch changing under lights. Its more about the pressure of chasing 330.

Did you watch the game ??

The ball definitely moved under lights

I actually only watched the first 10 over of both games. the timings are just way weird for US viewers.

I still think its mostly to do with two fragile batting units wilting under the pressure of massive totals. I mean 4 of the Afghan top orders are basically guaranteed single digit scores in any innings no matter how flat the pitch. Shocking how they cant replace Stanikzai after nearly a decade of international status.

[zimlover]

It was great to see Muzarabani hit 135+ kph a lot more consistently this game than he used to earlier. Brian Vitori bowled genuinely quick and his pace will definitely come in handy in the qualifiers. Chatara got a bit of movement with the new ball and it was good to see him bowl around the 130 kph mark consistently. I remember he was bowling a lot slower in the BD-SL tri-series. And Cremer was sensational as usual!

BT's innings was a treat to watch, although his running between the wickets probably needs a little work. He got Hami out and then almost got Raza out too! Hopefully Ervine too comes back to form the next match.

Muzarabani is only going to get better and he will be a handfull,
They didnot waste the new ball.too which.was good to see.